Panel outlines school safety planning

Outakes from school safety panel discussion

Teachers and other school personnel need to think of themselves as first responders.

That was the message from a panel of experts at the New Castle County Combined School Boards Breakfast.

The discussion centered on issues raised since the December school shootings in Connecticut.

Wendy Hudson of the Delaware Department of Homeland Security.

She suggests schools establish safety committees that utilize the various talents found on staff.

"Because you really never know who you have working for you. a hidden gem if you will. Prior military, prior fire service, current volunteer fireman, law enforcement, whatever the case may be, medical education. That's the type of people that you may not know you have that could be great to pull onto this team," says Hudson.

He says holding drills simulating danger scenarios does more that show a plan's strengths or weaknesses.

"When we did lock-down drills we always think about what are the kids going to think. And for the most part we want them to think that it's just something they do, it's not something uncomfortable, it's not something scary, it's not something frightening," says Moore.